Chicken-brooder.



PATBNTED SEPTrS, 1903.

0. MITTELSTADT. GHIGKENBROODER. APPLICATION FILED APB. 11. 1903.

2 SHEEN-SHEET 1;

N0 MODEL- 'WITNESSES PATENTED SEPT. s, 1903.

1 c. MITTELSTADT.

CHICKEN 31100111111. APPLICATION FILED AP3.I11,.1e03 K0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8 is a 7 /L I 4 a "51 2M"? IWITNEEEEE Y I 'I.\/EI\ITIIIR UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER MITTELSTADT, OF WYNANTSKILL, NEW YORK.

CHlCKEN-BROODER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,466, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed April 11, 1903. Serial No. 152,097. (No models To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER MITTEL- STADT, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at WVynantskilLcounty of Rensselaer,and State of NewYork,have invented certain new and usefullmprove'ments in Chicken- Brooders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to suchimprovements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described,

and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and to the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in front elevation of my improved brooder. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, taken on the broken line 2 2 in Fig. 3 through the lampchamber and mother, one of the bottom trays being removed, as inthe operation of changing the bottom of the brooding-chamber. Fig. 3 is a viewinside elevation of the same partly broken away and showing the door of the lamp-chamber open. Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken on the broken line 4 4 in Fig. 1.

The principal object of my invention isto provide for changing the bottom of the brooding-chamber from time to time Without injury or inconvenience to the chicks and without materially reducing the temperature of the chamber or exposing the chicks to drafts.

.Other objects of the invention will appear in connection with the following description.

Referring to the drawings, wherein the invention is shown in the preferred form, 1 represents the brooding-chamber, having double side walls 2, a screen-cover 3, and a slidefront 4, vertically movable in slideways 5. The motherexten'ds transversely of the brooding-chamber intermed iately between the ends thereof, the sameicomprising a hot-air box 6, inclosed on its top and sides by a n0n-conductive covering 7, such as Wood, and having depending from its opposite sides curtains S, of felt or other flexible material, extending nearly to the bottom of the chamber. At one side of the brooding-chamber and at the end of the mother is a lamp-chamber 9, adapted to be closed by a door 10, said chamber being adapted to contain a lamp 11. A chimney 12 is supported in position to receive the heated gasedus products from the burner of the lamp and convey the same to the box 6, through which they pass, escaping therefrom through the pipe 13 and ventilator 14 and serving by their passage through said box to maintain the air in the mother at a comfortable temperature. An opening 15 between the mother-chamber and lamp-chamber permits the mother-chamber to be warmed by heat radiated from the chimney 12, and a screen 16 over said opening prevents the chicks from coming in contact with the heated chimney.

A horizontal diaphragm or partition 17 extends across the lam p-chamber at or below the level of the bottom of the opening 15 and is provided with an aperture adapted to receive and closely fit the chimney, thus preventing odors from the lamp-burner from entering the brooder-chamber, the same being permitted to escape only through the chimney and box 6. A changeable floor for the brooding-cham her is formed by two similar trays 18, each adapted to rest and slide upon the other or upon the bottom-support 19. These trays are adapted to contain gravel and food for the chicks, and it is quite necessary that they should be cleaned and their contents renewed at frequent intervals. The construction shown enables me to accomplish this without injury or inconvenience to the chicks or without opening the brooder to expose the chicks to drafts.

The trays are adapted to be inserted in and removed from the brooding-chamber through the front end opening thereof, which is closed tion one above the other in the lower end of i IOO off from the upper-tray onto the exposed portion of the lower tray, being attracted thereto by feed deposited thereupon or being crowded off the upper tray by the front end board 4, so that when the tray 18 has been completely withdrawn from the chamber the chicks will be found upon the lower tray, which remains unmoved in the chamber,forming the bottom thereof. The removed tray having been cleaned and supplied with fresh gravel and feed, if desired, is then inserted from the front end between the other tray and the bottom support 19 and slid inwardly to the position formerly occupied by said other tray, serving to gradually lift said other tray to the position formerly occupied by the last-inserted tray. The insertion of the newlycleaned tray in this manner does notbring it into contact with any of the chicks, so that no possible injury can result to the chicks therefrom. In inserting a fresh tray the tray beneath which the same is to be inserted may be connected by hooks 20 with the end slide 4 and raised simultaneously therewith sufficiently to permit the fresh tray to be inserted, the end slide and connected tray being supported in the desired elevated position by means of the stop-pin 21, adapted to be inserted in one of a series of apertures 22 in the slideway 5. The end slide 4 can be supported in this manner in a raised position when it is desired to permit the chicks to leave the brooding-chamber, at which time one of the trays 18 can be placed in an inclined position extending from the open end of the chamber to the ground or'floor, affording an easy means of descent and ascent for the chicks.

The brooding-chamber may be provided with an inclosed cover 23, adapted to rest upon the top thereof and removably connected therewith, as by the hooks 24. This cover is provided with ventilating-apertures 25 and supports the ventilator 14 above an aperture in the cover adapted to receive the outletpipe 13, leading from the box 6. Air is admittcd tothe brooding-chamber through apertures 26, formed in the lower portion of the outer side wall, the air so admitted passing upwardly between the double walls into the space beneath the cover 23 into the main brooding-chamber and through apertures 27 in the upper portion of the inner side wall into the mother-chamber just beneath the heater-box 6 and at a considerable distance above the floor of the chamber, so that the cold air thus entering cannot chill the chicks. The bottom-support 19 may be either solid or What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a brooder, the combination with an inclosure for the brooding-chamber adapted to support a plurality of bottom trays one above another; of a plurality of bottom trays separately insertible and removable through a lateral opening in the inclosure, and capable of insertion by a slide movement of one beneath another.

2. In a brooder, the combination with an inclosure for the brooding-chamber having a vertically-movable end and adapted to support a plurality of bottom trays one above another; of a plurality of bottom trays separately insertible and removable through the end opening in the inclosure beneath said movable end and capable of insertion by a slide movement of one beneath another.

3. In a brooder, the combination with an inclosure for the brooding-chamber having a vertically-movable end and adapted to support a plurality of bottom trays one above another; of a plurality of bottom trays sepa rately insertible and removable through an end opening in the inclosure beneath said movable end and capable of insertion by a slide movement of one beneath another; and detachable connections between said movable end and the tray contiguous thereto whereby said tray is raised in unison with said end.

4. In a brooder, the combination with an I inclosure for the brooding-chamber having slideways on opposite sides of an end opening and adapted to supporta plurality of bottom trays one above another; of an end board movable in said slideways; and a plurality of bottom trays insertible and removable through said end opening beneath said end board when raised, and capable of insertion by a slide movement of one beneath another.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of April, 1903.

CHRIST. MITTELSTAD'I.

Witnesses:

FRANK 0. (loans, MARY W. MITTELSTADT. 

